Stretching device.



Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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J. F. GREEN.

STRETGHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1913.

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STRBTGHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3,1913.

I 1 ,O72,329. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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5,3- 4. /f /5 5 f?- f /5 /O /3 JOHN F. O13 BGSTON, MASSACHUSETTfi.

STRETCHING DEVICE Specification of Letters Patent.

'Hatrn'trd Sept. 7.), i913.

Application filed May 3, 1913. Serial No. 765.325.

To all whom 1'15 may concern Be it known that I, Jenn F. Guam, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Sn'tfolk and State of hhissachuselts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Stretching Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oi. the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention comprehends improvements in stretching devices for handbags, satchels, valises, etc, and relates more particularly to a device for holding such articles in proper shape when they are empty.

The prin'iary object of the invention resides in the provision of a stretching device of this nature, which shall be of extremely simple construction, cheap to manu'tacture, and which may be easily and quickly adjusted so as to properly tit within receptacles of various sizes.

It is a well known tact that cloth and leather handbags, satchels, valises, etc, lose their shape very quickly when left stamling empty and this invention aims to provide stretcl'iing device which may be adjusted to the proper size and placed within the receptacles when they are not in use, so as to hold them in their extended positions and prevent them collapsing and losing their shape.

As a further object, the invention contemplates the provision of a stretching de vice, including a base, which preferably rectangular in shape, two pairs ol' stretching springs pivotally si'i1.)ported at their lower ends upon said base and adapted for engagement with the inner sides of the receptacles, and a yoke member to which the overlapping upper ends of each pair of springs are attached, said yoke member being movable toward and away from the base, whereby the springs may be expanded and contracted.

With these and other objects in view, as will. become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of constructimi, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invcntion, re. once is to be had to the to]- lowing description and aeeol'npanying draw= ings, in which,

Figure 1. is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, 01 the stretching device, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane 01 line 2 2 of Fig. '1, Fig. 3 is a top plan view, Fig. -Ilis a horizontal section taken on the plane ol line el l o'l Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a section through the overlapping ends of one pair oil? wings. and taken on the plane ot line .'i---. of Fig. 2, and, Fig. (5 is a. detail view of the opposed ends of one oi the yoke legs and one of the tubular guides.

in the [)l'ti'l tll'tltl embodiment of my invention, 1 provide a pre'l'erably metallic base H), which is rectangular in shape and 'lormed with the longitudinal slots 11 for the purpose at rcthtcing the weight thereol. 'lhis base may be ot any desired si e and has "formed thereon the u' )rights 12, which are positioned adjacent the sides of the base in pairs. the uprights on one side being opposed lo those upon the other side ot the base. 'lhoso uprights are prc'lin'ably in the term of rectangular bars, may be integral with the base, and are provided with vertically alined openings 13, which extend transversely through the uprights and longitudinally of the base. Bolts 14: extend between each pair of uprights and are fixed within corrcspoiuling openings 12-3 by means ot the nuts 17 These bolts may be fixed at 'arious distances from the base by being secured within di'ttcrent. openings and have the flat metal springs and 17 secured at their lower ends. The springs 16 are secured between the uprights upon one side oil the base and the springs 17 which are identical in construction to the springs 16 are secured between the uprights upon the other side oi the base. The lower ends oi the springs are bent so as to term sleeves which surround the central portions of the bolts. The upper portions of the springs upon one side (it the base overlap the upper portions oi the corresponding springs upon the other side of the base and the corresponding springs are slidably connected to each other by means (it the projections or cars 17. Each spring is formed with a pair of these laterally projecting cars adjacent its 'lrce extremity and said ears are bent into engagementwith the corresponding s 'iring, as clearly shown in the drawings. A longitudinal bar 18 having its central portion ll) rounded and knurled, is provided For the purpose of contracting and expanding the receptacle.

springs. This bar is longitudinally slotted, as indicated at 20, and the overlapping portions of the springs run through said slots, wherein they may be locked against movement by the set screws 21. The bar 18 is guided in its movement toward and away from the base by means of the depending legs 22 and 2 3, which telescope within the tubular guides 24 and 25. These guides are preferably threaded into openings formed in the base along the longitudinal center thereof and the guides 24 are flanged at their upper extremities, as indicated at 26, for the purpose of carrying the locking screws 27 which are adapted to engage the legs 22. The central guide 25 is formed with the longitudinally extending slots 28 which terminate short of the upper end thereof and in which the pin 29 works. This pin is secured within an opening formedadjacent the lower extremity of the leg 23. The bar 18 and the legs which depend therefrom are preferably formed integrally so as to secure the strongest construction possible. In order that the overlapping portions of the springs may have a close frictional engagement with each other,

they are preferably roughened, as are also the bottom walls of the slots through which they extend. The surfaces of the depending legs 22 may also be roughened so as to afford a better grip for the locking screws 27 Before inserting my stretching device within a handbag, suitcase, satchel, or similar receptacle, the bolts 14: are first secured within those of the openings 13 which are situated the proper distance from the base, depending of course, upon the height of the receptacle. The set screws 21 are then loosened and the corresponding springs moved toward or away from one another a distance depending upon the width of the The set screws are then tightened so as to lock the overlapping portions of the springs against sliding movement relative to each other and to the slot through which they extend. The bar 18 is then drawn away from the base and locked in this position'by tightening the screws 27.

The pin 29 prevents the legs being withdrawn from the tubular guides. WVith the bar thus locked against inward movement, the corresponding springs are drawn together and the device may be positioned within the receptacle which is to be held in an upright position. VVhen the stretching device is properly positioned within a receptacle the locking screws 27 are loosened, the bar 18 forced inwardly, the screws 27 set up clamping the legs 22, and the receptacle closed from the top thereof. The device is now in its operative position and the springs by engaging the side walls of the receptacle, hold the same in their extended positions and prevent them collapsing.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simply constructed stretching device, which is adapted for use in connection wit-h receptacles of various shapes and sizes, for the purpose of retaining them in their proper shape.

It is to be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to this exact construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, but may make such changes as will fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is p s 1. A stretching device of the character described, including a base, a plurality of springs pivotally secured at their lower ends above the base, the upper extremities of corresponding springs overlapping each other, and a bar secured to the overlapping portion of the springs, said bar being movable toward and away from the base whereby the springs are contracted and expanded,

said springs being adapted for engagement with the inner sides of a receptacle.

2. A stretching device of the character described, including a base, a plurality of standards formed upon said base, a plu-' rality of springs pivotally connected at their lower ends to said standards, said springs being arranged in pairs and the upper eX- tremities of the springs forming each pair being overlapped and a bar secured to the overlapped portions of the springs forming each pair, said bar being movable toward and away from the base, whereby the springs are contracted and expanded.

3. A stretching device of the character described, including a base, a plurality of standards formed upon said base adjacent the edges thereof and arranged in pairs, an attaching member extending between each pair of standards, a flat metal spring pivotally secured at its lower end to each of the attaching members, the springs upon one side of the base being opposed to the springs upon the other side of the base, and a longitudinal bar to which the upper extremities of the springs are attached, said bar being movable toward and away from the base, whereby the springs are contracted and expanded.

4. A stretching device of the character described, including a base, uprights formed upon the base adjacent the sides thereof and arranged in pairs, said uprights being formed with a plurality of vertically alined openings, attaching members secured within certain of said openings, flat metal springs pivot-ally secured at their lower ends to the attaching members, the springs upon one side of the base being opposed to the springs upon the other side thereof, the upper extremities ot' cm'respoi'uling springs overlapping and slidably connecting to one another, and a bar extending longitudinally of the base and connected to the overlapping portions of the springs, said bar being movable toward and away from the base, whereby the springs may be respectively bowed outwardly and expanded.

A stretching device of the character described, including a base, a plurality of flat metal springs pivotally secured at their lower ends above the base along opposite sides thereof, the springs upon one side of the base being opposed to the springs upon the other side thereof, the corresponding springs upon opposite sides of the base having the portions adjacent their upper extremities overlapped and slidably connected to one another, a longitudinal bar formed with slots through which the overlapped portions of the springs extend, means for locking the springs against movement relative to the slots, said bar being movable toward and away from the base, whereby the springs are bowed outwardly, and means for locking the bar at varying distances with re spect to the base.

6. A stretching device of the character described, including a base, uprights formed along opposite sides ol the base and arranged in pairs, a Hat metal spring pivoted at its lower end between each pair ot uprights, the pivoted end portions oi corresponding springs being overlamied, a bar connected to the overlapped portions of the springs, depending legs formed upon the bar, tubular guide members rigid with the base into which said legs telescope, and means for locking the legs at various positions within the tubular guide members.

7. A device of the character described, including a base, a plurality of flat metal springs pivotally secured at their lower ends along opposite sides oil. the base, a bar extending longitiulinally oi the base to which said springs are connected, a depending leg formed upon the bar, a tubular guide member into which the leg is adapted to telescope, said guide member being longitudinally slotted "for a portion of its length, and a pin fixed to the leg and working within said slot.

in testimony whereof l atl'ix my sigluiture in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F GREEN.

Witnesses:

MARY F. SHEA, F. \V. II llGItHIOK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. 

